Focus:

Today's Verse:

kjv@Luke:8:40@ And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

kjv@Luke:8:41@ And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:

kjv@Luke:8:42@ For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

kjv@Luke:8:43@ And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

kjv@Luke:8:44@ Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

kjv@Luke:8:45@ And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

kjv@Luke:8:46@ And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

kjv@Luke:8:47@ And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

kjv@Luke:8:48@ And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

kjv@Luke:8:49@ While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

kjv@Luke:8:50@ But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

kjv@Luke:8:51@ And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

kjv@Luke:8:52@ And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

kjv@Luke:8:53@ And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

kjv@Luke:8:54@ And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

kjv@Luke:8:55@ And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

kjv@Luke:8:56@ And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Notes:

Capernaum, exalted by His many appearances and miraculous works will soon be cursed by Jesus for it's unbelief and lack of repentance kjv@Matthew:11:23. There is a large gap between one the individuals receiving His works and their salvation and two what is happening to multiple (multitudes of) individuals and the overall consciousness of the city collectively. It is often thought by some if God would just show HIMSELF, if God would just do another miracle, then I or then others would believe. The opposite is likely more true, people tend to believe more in the God that does tiny things that don't demand such transformation and repentance, that rather justifies what they already casually and uncommittedly believe. Jesus pretty much made this His base of operations for a good time; look what became of it.

We have two people meeting at Jesus from two opposite and distant directions; a woman who has spent all that she had to be healed other places and a ruler of the local synagogue with all of it's perks. They come to Jesus much as equals in desperate need. This is the second time Jesus has been called away from the crowds to come to the bedside of someone at the request of someone important from this same synagogue. It shows a willingness by Jesus to make some type of productive connection to this assembly; a connection bound to fail. Because of this willingness though the woman reaching toward Him is seeing her opportunity to be healed suddenly exit.

There are many that feel the need for the faith to be assisted by the use of an object or a ritual. If I could just kiss each of the 50 stairs up this cathedral then I (or my loved one) would be healed. If I just had extra help from this statue, or these beads, or candles at an alter, or this church saint then... Other's feel what can it hurt if a prop is used if one's faith can stand all the stronger. It is not a prop of faith however that this woman is reaching out towards in the robe hem, it is the person wearing the robe at present, the man being called to a house down the street to heal another, that I have but this one opportunity before He is gone that she is extending towards. And when He stops sudden to inquire who had touched Him, it is I that accidentally even selfishly has delayed Him, it is my desire for wholeness that has left the other's daughter to depart. It is "the Him" not "the hem" that I fall to my knees found discovered for. It is I to whom He say's be of "good comfort" so that it is I in an odd sense that He continues up the stairs to bring that only child back.

It is one thing to not understand death and sleep, to giggle with confusion or disbelief. One would almost expect that in this case. But to laugh to scorn? All it takes really is one person's heart and we all follow along. It is not only a relief of tension it is an incredulous accusation of blame against such relief being made. This is the ruler's house. This is how the other's of the congregation are feeling. Other than a desperate father and the Roman Centurion that plumbed the walls this is where we are at in this religious community.

Why should He command not to tell any man? Would they not know as soon as the six of them walked back down the stairs out into the main room? What would one tell? See He told us so? What is the use... it is spoken clearly enough without having to say it!

So we have the faith of a man and a woman from two opposite points in the spectrum, one who has been at this a long long time, the other who is suddenly about to loose his only child, surrounded by the stage set of a city that sees all of this as an imposition if not outrage. On top of that we have readers that believe that they can believe for anything they want for at any level of commitment and when they don't get it they can add in some article of religiosity to improve their odds. The certainty is certainly an odd mess. It is this odd mess that Jesus is having by sign and teaching and sacrifice to reach to us through.

Key Messages:

Declaring Certainty

kjv@Matthew:11:20@ Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

kjv@Matthew:11:21@ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

kjv@Matthew:11:22@ But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

kjv@Matthew:11:23@ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

kjv@Matthew:11:24@ But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

kjv@Matthew:13:16@ But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.